Manxman to operate one daily sailing from tomorrow

Steam Packet announces contingency schedule brought in

The Manxman will operate on a contingency schedule with one daily sailing as of tomorrow (3 January).

The Steam Packet Company says the vessel will be undermanned for the next two weeks due to a rostered officer having to unexpectedly take leave for personal reasons.

Furthermore, the organisation adds because of Nautilus' ongoing industrial action short of a strike no fellow officers will swap shifts or cover the absence via paid overtime.

As a result, from Wednedsay, the only Manxman service will leave Douglas at 8.45am and return from Heysham at 2.15pm.

The Arrow is being deployed to operate overnight freight services each day, leaving Douglas at 5pm and departing Heysham at 1.30am.

The Steam Packet Company says: "While this will affect a relatively large number of sailings, from a customer perspective, the Company has tried to minimise disruption by maintaining the more popular daytime sailings for passengers travelling to and from the Isle of Man.

"All passengers on affected sailings will be contacted by the reservations team and offered transfers or full refunds.

"The Company will provide updates as and when it is able."